GOSSIP

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” We think this is true, so why does it feel so good to do it!

The Advantages Of Gossip. As humans we are biologically predisposed to like gossiping; it actually reduces stress and anxiety by releasing feel-good chemicals like serotonin. It’s a form of advantageous social bonding that also helps us identify who is within our circle of trust and who is not, and it provides us with vital social information required to successfully navigate our lives. From a less positive angle, we like to gossip because it gives us a sense of moral superiority and is a form of schadenfreude.

The Consequences Of Negative Gossip. There can have serious consequences when we take part in negative chit chat. It turns out that hearing negative gossip about someone can literally change the way you view them: It alters the way our visual system responds to a face. Reputations are hard to build and easy to ruin, mainly because positive news doesn’t have the same weight in the brain as does negative. Once you’ve helped spread negative gossip about someone, it can take decades to undo the damage.

Why Not Gossiping Is So Freaking Hard. Stepping out of gossip is hard to do, as it is a form of currency in almost all relationships. Engaging in an intimate conversation with a friend without participating in gossip, then, is a lot like trying to shop with no money. So we challenge you to stop gossiping altogether for 1 month. Can you do it?